Pierpaolo Piccioli turns couture into everyday wear for Balenciaga SS27

Fashion

Pierpaolo Picciolo’s third ready-to-wear collection for Balenciaga’s SS27 took coral as its muse, showing a deeply personal exploration of the house’s identity. At the centre of the Paris runway stood Les Coraux de la Luberté, a monumental sculpture by French artist Aude Franjou, crafted from wrapped linen in branching shades of yellow, orange and red. For Piccoli, it represented Balenciaga as a living ecosystem, where couture and ready-to-wear exist in harmony.

The show opened with an uninterrupted series of white looks. The first look was a crisp white shirt with a peplum-like corset on the waist with a scalloped waist hem, nodded to Cristóbal Balenciaga’s signature Basque silhouette, paired with relaxed white trousers. An open cape worn over bare skin, a slouchy-shouldered blazer and a lace top finished with feathers followed, showing how even the simplest palette can make a statement.

Colours soon took the centre stage—cobalt half hooded poplin, hot-pink shirting, acid-lime bombers and a sheer orange gown with a sculptural bubble collar brought a pop-art sensibility to the collection. Black blazers were reworked with teal and red cummerbunds with the trail extended on the back. The look that stole the show was a one-shoulder dress with cascading tiered orange tassels.

Everyday dressing remained central to Piccoli’s vision. Voluminous parachute cargos in cream, black and chocolate were paired with Oxford shirts and distressed denim, while a funnel-neck leather jacket worn with sculpted shorts offered a subtle nod to the Demna era, reinterpreted through Piccoli’s couture sensibility. Accessories added a playful finish, from oversized sunglasses and chain-trimmed thong sandals to knotted hobo bags and long belted bags wrapped around the waist.

In Balenciaga’s show notes, Piccoli wrote, “No one shines alone,” drawing on the symbiotic relationship that allows coral ecosystems to thrive. This idea carried through the collection, bringing together the house’s heritage, precise craftsmanship and a more relaxed approach to dressing.

– For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram

Images: Supplied